Naruto of the Village hidden in the Grass
by Quick-n-Popular
Summary: AU. Ai, a Grass Nin, decideds to take Naruto away from his village and brings him to hers where he begins his training. Meanwhile, upon Naruto's departure, the 3rd Hokage decides to send out rookie Genin to find the missing Naruto. Please R&R.
1. A new life and a woman named Ai

**"Naruto of the Village hidden in the Grass"**

By Quick-n-Popular

Disclaimer: "Naruto" is owned by its author, Masashi Kishimoto. I own only this story I've created and the original characters I've introduced.

Author's Note: This takes place in an Alternate Universe as predicted by the title of this story. Some facts are omitted due to the obvious fact of Naruto's absence from Kohona.

Enjoy!

Chapter One: A new life with a woman named Ai

It was raining in Kohona. Many of its inhabitants scurried as they quickly made their way inside to shelter themselves from the rain's biting presence along with the wind making it impossible, even for the most skilled Shinobi, to escape its wet death-trap.

One lone figure stat huddled in an alleyway unable to escape the rain. A bloodied, bruised, ragged small form sat clutching his arms as he sat next to a garbage bin behind a recently opened restaurant. Already wet from head to toe, the six year old boy whose dampened blonde hair clung to to his eyes, shuddered as the coldness accompanied by the wet, torn, clothes he wore made his present state even more unbearable. He quickly raised his head as he heard approaching footsteps.

"The demon brat gave you the slip, huh?" Said a voice close by.

The boy trembled and weakly got back to his feet as he continued to hear the conversation continued by another voice accompanying the one he heard as it came closer to his area at a close pace.

"Yeah, but no worries. Rats usually seek shelter in woodpiles close by. I'll find him soon enough." The other voice replied.

The boy made an inaudible startled sound as his voice was already ravaged from having been screaming and yelling from his previous beating. Looking in all directions, he soon heard the footsteps approaching his current location quicker than anticipated. The boy limped as he shuffled his back out into the crowded open street. He soon met the eyes of those who noticed him with either deep resentment or just contempt. None, however, approached or spoke to him as all were in their haste to get indoors. The boy, who had been knowing this kind of treatment since his birth, wondered if the village he had been born into had anything to offer besides what he had endured for these long, tormenting, years.

"There he is! I see him!" Yelled a voice behind him.

The boy shuffled quicker through the crowd at a quicker pace, his eyes alive in terror. He was thrown side to side as people bumped into him and he soon fell to the ground as one was harder than the others were. The boy clawed at the ground, coughing wildly from the pain he was already in from his previous beating. He could hear a person behind him approaching quickly as a man's voice carried in.

"There you are!"

The boy felt the back of his shirt being pulled from behind him as he was forcibly turned around and laid roughly onto his back. The boy immediately put his arms in front of his, already, heavily bruised face, awaiting the pain he knew was soon to follow.

"What do you think you're doing!" A feminine voice shouted.

The boy kept his pose as he breathed heavily. To his amazement, he wasn't feeling the pain he had experienced before and he slowly allowed his eyes to open a little as he saw his attacker looking away from him at someone behind him. The man was scowling.

"I'm giving our little demon his just punishment. What's it to you? You _DO _know what he is, right?"

The boy, then, arched his head back and looked at the person the man was talking to. A woman in her late teens, early twenties, who was dressed in Shinobi gear, with long crimson-red hair, hazel-green eyes, looking absolutely livid; glanced down at the boy for a moment before turning back to the man.

"No, should I? Grant it, I'm a from another village but it looks like, to me, that you're beating on a defenseless kid. In anyplace, especially in my village, barbarians like you would be dealt with in the most harshest ways."

The man growled, "Well, if you're from another village, then you should mind your own damn business. In any case, if you had heard, this village had been attacked six years ago by the demon fox Kyuubi. It nearly wiped out half of our village and killed our Hokage, the Sondaime." The man then gave a venomous look as he pointed down at the boy on the ground who seemed to be lost in the conversation they were having, "This was the place that creature had been put into. It's a disgusting reminder and an insulting creation of what had happened to our village. Now, if you don't mind, I'll take this _thing_ away and dispose of it."

The woman's eyes narrowed. "No, you won't." In a lightening-quick move, she grabbed the man's throat and had his body slammed down against the ground, cracking it in the process.

The man gasped out before his eyes closed and his body went limp.

The boy shook wildly as he looked at the body of his pursuer and the woman standing over him. He then shook even more violently as he saw her eyes set upon him. the boy tried desperately to back away as she soon was walking towards him.

"Relax kid, I'm not going to hurt you like that monster there."

"Y-You...k-killed him." The boy gasped as he continued his hasty retreat.

The woman turned back at to the man lying on the ground. "No, i didn't. He's just out for the moment." She turned back to the boy and squatted down as she gave a kind, warm, smile.

"What's your name, kid?"

The boy, his eyes still wide in fear, trembled as he spoke. "U...U-Uzumaki N-Naruto. That's what the lady at the orphanage said."

the woman nodded. "Why aren't you still at the orphanage, Uzumaki Naruto?"

Naruto casted his eyes at the ground. Tears enveloped his already parched eyes. "S-She said 'No one will ever want such a disgusting little demon like you. You will get out now or I'll send for someone to drag you out.'" He looked back at the woman who was scowling.

The woman looked around, seeing the area had already been vacated, she turned back to Naruto.

"Naruto, has anybody showed you any kindness here?"

Naruto looked at the ground, again, shaking his head.

The woman put her hand to her chin as she thought for a moment, then, she smiled and extended the same hand out to him.

"Uzumaki Naruto, would you like to come with me to my village? It'll give you a chance for a clean slate at life. No one will ever have known of you and there you can start life where you'll make friends and, if you like, I could take care of you."

Naruto starred at the ground for a moment and looked up at the woman, skeptically. "Why?"

The woman shrugged, "It feels like the right thing to do. Besides, I'm a good judge of character and I can tell, just by looking at you, that you seemto be a kind boy at heart."

Naruto thought for a moment, looked arounbd, and then slowly staggered as he picked himself up off the ground as he took her hand.

She smiled as she helped him up. "My name is Tokoshiro Ai. You may call me Ai, if you like."

With his cracked, dried bloodied lip, Naruto managed a smile.

"Ai." He said, dreamily.

Ai smiled as she then scooped up the young boy. She reached into her bag, on her back, and took out a spare rain cloak. Despite it being too large, she bundled Naruto in it. Ai carried Naruto out with her, in the rain, to the gates leading out the village.

It had been three hours since the two had left Kohonagakure, the two now on the outskirts of Fire Country.

Ai glanced down at the figure fast asleep on her shoulder, probably due to exhaustion. She sighed and gave a small smile as she looked ahead to the road they were on as they made their journey to her village which was still a day away.

_"Well Uzumaki Naruto_," She thought_, "I don't know if this was the right thing I'm doing, taking you away from the place of your birth as I am; but it feels right. Where we're going, you WILL find some solace and a better environment than you've been brought up in. However, as life has taught me, there will always be pain on life, in one form nor another_." Ai smiled as she felt his steady breathing against her chest. She held onto him a little tighter as she jumped into the trees and then the two of them made their way into the night's dark hours.

to be continued...

A/N: Kohona's reaction to Naruto sudden departure will be in the next chapter. Trust me, I haven't forgotten, nor do I wish to change, Sarutobi's feelings toward Naruto. Naruto's life in the new village and the life that's going on in Kohona will go back and forth in this story. And he will be meeting the usual main characters in later chapter but not MUCH later chapters, rest assure.

Please review, as always.

Q-n-P


	2. Kusa no Kuni

Chapter Two: Kusa no Kuni

"Naruto? Naruto, wake up. We're here."

Naruto weakly opened his eyes and yawned as he found the rain had stopped and he dazily peered out into the area. His eyes opened wider as he took in, in awe, at the new environment he was in.

"Welcome to Kusa no Kuni, the Village hidden in the Grass, my village." Ai said, smiling down at Naruto.

The new village Naruto and Ai were in was alive with people in the streets. People were laughing, chatting with each other, children were running and playing in every corner. the buildings were aligned in almost the samer way as Kohona but different, as they seemed smaller by comparison. The village itself was smaller as well, only stretching out a few miles as opposed to Kohona's. The thing that made the place so impressive was the wide array of giant bamboo stalks that acted as a wall that encircled the entire village. The bamboo seemed to grow in size and concentrated even more to the far right of the village as it continued outward creating a forest-like area.

Ai led Naruto through the crowded area; Naruto clung to Ai and hid behind her as people passed by.

Ai smiled, "you don't need to act so worried here, Naruto. These are good people."

As if on cue, a man and his daughter, who looked to be Naruto's age, stopped and approached the two.

"Ai-san, welcome back. Was your trip to Kohona as you suspected?" The man asked. His daughter, who had a wisp of brown hair amidst her long blonde hair, looked around at Naruto who was looking away, nervously. She giggled.

Ai bowed, "Yes, Hiwatari-san, it was." She looked behind her and pulled around Naruto. "Allow me to introduce uzumaki Naruto."

Naruto looked up at the tall man whose hair was tied back in a pony tail and had the brown portion of his daughter's. He kneeled down and extended his hand out to Naruto.

"Nice to meet you, Naruto. I'm Hiwatari Shinji."

Naruto, shakily, gave the man his hand who, then, took it in a firm grip, shaking it.

The Shinji looked to his side and smiled.

"This is my daughter, Yuzu. Yuzu, would you like to say, hi?"

Yuzu immediatly ran up and hugged Naruto, causing him to stagger backwards and blush immensly.

"Hello Naruto-kun! I'm Hiwatari Yuzu! Can we be friends?"

Naruto look beleaguered and looked up at Ai for guidence.

Ai nodded at him and smiled.

Naruto looked back at Yuzu, swallowed, and slowly nodded.

"Y-Yeah. S-Sure."

Yuzu looked happily at Naruto as she took his hands and shook them with excitement.

As Yuzu gave Naruto, yet another hug, Shinji, still eyeing Naruto, asked Ai, "So, Ai, how did you and Naruto meet?"

Ai looked at Naruto and sighed, "Well...he was in a bit of trouble in Kohona. PEople were roughing him up and, seeing as how no one was looking out for him, I asked Naruto if he wanted to go someplace better and...well, here we are."

Shinji's look darkened as he looked at Naruto, again, and then bact at Ai.

"You took him with you? Did you talk to the Hokage before taking him out of his village?"

Ai shook her head.

Shinji sighed as he began rubbing his hand to the side of his face. "Oh, Ai...."

Ai raised an eyebrow, "What?"

Shinji sighed, "Ever since you were little, you've been so...reckless. You do realize you may have complicated matters between our villages by doing this, right? Please tell me you, at least, thought of the consequences before desiding to take this child away from his village?"

Ai chuckled nervously as she rubbed the back of her head, "Ah, well..."

Shinji, again, sighed out of despair.

"Look, Hiwatari-san, I felt I had no choice. Naruto knew nothing there but torment. I was about to leave Kohona when I noticed a man who was about to beat the living snot out of the poor kid! What was I supposed to do? Turn a blind eye? Then the fool told me this old wives tale about how the kid is the vessel for the Kyuubi that nearly destroyed the village six years ago and-"

"Wait!" Shinji looked scared. "He said that Naruto held the Kyuubi in him? THE Kyuubi?" He turned his head and looked worryingly at Naruto who was listening to his daughter talking at a very high speed.

Ai sighed and said in a low voice. "Even if it's true, shinji, look at him. He's just a little boy. A boy whose scared to death of any stranger approaching for fearing another beating like the ones he's been getting for six years since he came into exsistence."

Shinji sighed and closed his eyes. He kept them closed until he opened them and looked back at Ai. "This new information doesn't settle right with me, Ai. The Fourth of Kohona was a dear friend to our village and it pained everyone here when we all learned of his death due to the Kyuubi. If they learn-"

"No." Ai said, holding her hand up to silence him. "THAT bit of information stays between the two of us."

Shinji nodded, "Alright, but you do realize that I'm going to have to talk to the other Clan members and the Daimyo about the fact you've brought a child from another village and without the village's Hokage's permission."

Ai nodded. "I'm willing to take the heat for that. I'll even speak with the Hokage, if it ever comes down to that."

Shinji nodded. He looked back to Naruto and then to Ai, again. "Have you arranged a place for Naruto to stay?"

Ai rested her hand on her hip as she smirked. "Of course, you old fool. He's going to stay with Kai and me."

Shinji raised an eyeborw, "Does Daisuke know you're bringing a kid home?"

Ai nervously scoffed and Shinji scowled and sighed. "Aw, Ai..."

Ai ignored him. "Naruto, say goodby to Yuzu, for now, we need to get going."

Naruto looked up and nodded before being tackled to the ground in another fierce hug by Yuzu.

"See you Naruto-kun!" She then planted a kiss on his cheek before rejoining her father.

They said goodbye to the Hiwatari's and were soon making their way down a deep end of a street.

"So, what did you think of the Hiwataris?" Ai asked.

Naruto, still rubbing the side of his face where Yuzu had kissed him, smiled. "They're nice."

Ai chuckled, "Better be careful, kid. Yuzu might want to be hitched to you soon in no time."

Before Naruto could answer with a worried reply, Ai announced they had arrived. Naruto looked up at a tall building which had several balcony area spanning up to four stories. Going through the entrance, they walked up the flight of stairs up to the thrid floor. Passing five doors before stopping at the sixth, Ai opened the door, stating.

"Welcome to your new home Naruto."

However, her mood changed as soon as she opened the door and when they set foot in as the floor of the apartment was littered with clothes, a raucous smell was coming from somewhere which caused Ai to hold a hand to her nose as she scowled.

"D-Daisuke!"

Naruto looked around in amazement. The place was rather nice looking, despite the clothes covering up most of it, and the atrocious smell lingering about. The two made their way, all the while Ai making mumbled death threats. Walking in, they came to the loveseat in the living room where, sprawled out snoring loudly, a naturally bald man, about Ai's age, slept shirtless.

"Daisuke!" Ai yelled slapping him across the face, so hard that she left an imprint and caused him to roll off the couch.

"Ow! Ai! Why'd you..." Daisuke stopped as he soon noticed Naruto. He starred blankly before looking between Naruto and Ai. He pointed a finger at Naruto.

"Who's the kid?"

Ai sighed as she looked down at Naruto. "Naruto, meet Kasuma Daisuke. My hopeless boyfriend. Daisuke, this is Naruto. He's going to be staying with us. Now, Daisuke, about the way you left my place while I left..."

Daisuke quickly got to his feet, "Whoa, whoa, hold on!"

* * *

Sitting in his office smoking his pipe, Sarutobi, the third Hokage, glanced out the window of his office as he sadly reflected the past six weeks that had gone by since he had gotten word that Uzumaki Naruto had left Kohona. He remembered intently, of that night when he had gotten the news from one of the ANBU he had sent to the orphanage to give him the progress of Naruto's wellbeing, when the man came back and told him that the head of the orphanage had casted Naruto out. Sarutobi had spent practically the remaing day sending out several more ANBU to find Naruto and thus coming back with nothing. One had came back with an injured Chuunin who claimed that a female nin from another village had defeated him and, possibly, took Naruto with her. Since then, for some reason, all ANBU the Hokage sent out to neighboring villages came back empty with no news. A sinking suspicion came onto the Hokage that his war advisor, Danzo, may have had an influence on that due to his resentment towards the young Uzumaki. However, with little proof to make a full inquiry, Sarutobi was left with little chocie but to desist the search, at least for a little while. With the Chuunin exams approaching he knew that his time would be distracted and yet he felt he was obligated to continue searching for Uzumaki Naruto. Others in his council felt that perhaps the young boy got fed up with his ill-treatment and just, simply, ran away from the village. That made the Hokage felt even worse.

A knock at his door interrupted his dire thoughts.

"Yes?" He said.

"Lords Yamanaka, Nara, Hyuuga, Uchia, and Tousen are here to see you, Hokage-sama." Said the secretary of the Hokage.

Sarutobi took the pipe out of his mouth and nodded. "Very well, send them in." Whilst the door opened and the men gathered, Sarutobi went to his trash bin and discarded the contents of his pipe. After setting it down as he sat behind his desk, the five men all stood before the Hokage.

"I take it you all are here for your usual, unbiased, pre-insights to those to be selceted to be Chuunin?"

They all nodded.

"Very well." Said Sarutobi, "I'll listen to your recommendations."

* * *

Daisuke, through the month and a half, eventually came to good terms with Naruto's staying at his and Ai's apartment. Naruto, after learning that Daisuke was a Medical Nin, was livid with questions about all that entailed that particular type of Shinobi work.

Daisuke found it a relief to find someone who was interested in what he did as Ai found his work too boring and tedious. After speaking for several hours, Ai announced that it was time for Naruto to go to bed, much to Naruto and Daisuke's chagrin.

Ai, after she had a long argument with Daisuke, set up the spare bedroom, which used to hold all of Daisuke's storage. She had spent the remaing afternoon, afterwards, taking Naruto shoping for clothes and for personal effects and toiletries. Soon, the room was in Naruto's liking.

Pulling the covers up to his shoulders and kissing him on the forehead, Ai turned to leave but was stopped when...

"Ai?"

Ai turned and smiled, "Yeah, Naruto?"

Naruto looked off to the side, "Yuzu keeps on asking what our relationship is."

Ai nodded, "Yeah?"

"Well, I..."

Ai waited patiently as she had a feeling about what may come next.

"well," Naruto began, "I was wondering would it be ok...if...I could call you my sister?"

Ai's eyes brightened. At first she thought he was going to ask if he could call her "Mom", but she liked this even better.

"Hmmm, Your "sister", huh?"

Naruto nodded.

Ai walked back in and gave him another kiss on the forehead. "It's a deal, little brother."

Naruto smiled big and let his eyes drop as he turned and scruntche dhimself into a comfortable position, sleep already setting in.

Ai watched him all the way back to the doorway, smiling as she went just as she was turning off the light. After closing the door and coming back into the living room where Daisuke was reading a book, he looked up and smiled.

"Sister, huh?" He said, smirking.

Ai nodded, "Hear, did ya?"

Daisuke nodded and then looked up, thoughtfully. "I wonder if he'll start calling me 'big brother'?"

Ai laughed, "Nah, I still think he likes calling you 'dead-beat'."

Daisuke scowled, "Only because he heard you call me that when we first met."

Ai mischeviously grinned as she shrugged. "I call them as I see 'em."

Daisuke patted the spot next to him and Ai walked over and sat down, then fell back and rested her head on his lap.

"He's a good kid, isn't he?"

Daisuke nodded. "He's excited about becoming a Shinobi. He's so full of energy and enthusiasim. I'm really surprised that his old village passed him up. Everyone here is in love with him."

Ai nodded. "Even after the Clan Lords and the Damiyo sent a message to Kohona of what i did and that he was here, they still didn't come after him." She sighed and then added. "Jerks."

To be continued....

A/N: Alright, I'd better start apologizing as I had said before that this chapter would have more involvement with Sarutobi, which it only did to a limited extent. I'm sorry. it's late and my head is throbbing. Next chapter SHOULD involve him more as there's a time skip and I'll be having it centered around Naruto's training in the Grass Village and word getting back to Kohona trhat he's there.

As always, please review. and thanks to those who have.

Q-n-P


	3. Discovered

Chapter Three: Discovered

Six years have passed since Uzumaki Naruto has been brought to Kusa by Tokoshiro Ai. Through out these years, Naruto had managed to find something he never, before, knew exist: family, friends, and a warm community of people. Since having been brought to Kusa no Kuni, the Village hidden in the Grass, Naruto had been adopted by Ai, befriended her boyfriend, Kasuma Daisuke, made friends with Hiwatari Yuzu, her father, Hiwatari Shinji, and, soon, the entire village.

Although, there were hard times, as well. Naruto, like some of the students in his Shinobi classes, struggled to make the grade. However, he prevailed all the same, and soon would be put into a three-man squad and be under the tutelage of a new sensei. Along with his studies, his life with Ai and Daisuke also became more challenging as, after his seventh birthday, Ai became pregnant. Nine months later, Riku Kasuma was born, and Naruto had to allow the newly born girl take the time from Ai and Daisuke away from him. Naruto found the child to be facinating ever since she was born and soon prided himself upon being her big brother. He took new responsibilities as she continued on to grow in the years that followed. Riku, in return, looked up to Naruto and the two were seemingly inseparable. Whenever Naruto went out to meet Yuzu, go out to train, or to go eat out at Kai Kambucco's Ramen Shop; Riku always insisted on tagging along. Naruto loved having her around, as she was another thing that made him happy. Now, Naruto being twelve years old and an official Grass Genin, Riku, five years old and already looking very much like her mother; were told by Ai and Daisuke that the two had decided to get married.

After hearing the news from them in the late evening, Riku was already cheering joyfully for her parents. Naruto, however, looked puzzled.

"Why have you two waited so long? Why didn't you get married when you were carrying Riku, Nee-san?" Naruto asked Ai.

Ai shrugged, "It didn't seem that important, at the time. Besides, we know how the old cronies in the village like to make a fuss over an unmarried couple raising an adopted child and having a second; we really could care less."

Daisuke nodded and grinned, "We get a kick out of it, anyways."

Naruto, however, had been defending them at his classes whenever someone tried to speak meanly of them. He really didn't see how they could be so cool about their public appearence. In the end he shrugged and joined Riku in celebrating the two's nuptials. Later, the next day, he told Yuzu and her friend, Mishtal Asuka, the news.

"That's so great, Naruto-kun!" Yuzu said, excitingly.

Naruto braced himself as Yuzu did her usual tackling-hug, but had trained himself enough to keep his strength and balance and took it more gently than before.

Asuka, who had lively forest-green eyes, and short raven-black hair; smiled.

"When are they planning on doing it?"

Naruto thought for a moment and then remembered. "At the end of the week. It's just going to be a small ceremony, with Nee-san and Daisuke's friends."

Yuzu looked down and held her hands together, looking blushingly at the ground. "Are you going to bring anyone, Naruto-kun?"

Naruto scratched the side of his head with a finger. "I haven't decided, yet."

"Nii-san! We're going to be late!" Riku shouted behind them.

Ai had insited that they all be dressed up for the ceremony, despitye it being private and small. Today, Naruto and Riku were supposed to go and get fitted for their clothes for the event.

"Aw, crap! Sorry, Riku, I'm coming!" He turned back to Yuzu and Asuka. "See ya girls, I'll talk to you later!" He then sprinted off after the retreating form of Riku.

Asuka watched them leave and then placed her hands on her hips as she turned and looked at Yuzu, mischeviously. "So, who do you think he'll bring to the wedding?"

Yuzu returned the same mischevious look. "Well, I know it'll be me, so you can stop worrying about it."

Asuka chuckled as she walked away. "Poor Yuzu. Delusional as always."

Yuzu scowled as she turned and walked in a different direction.

However, on the day of the wedding, Naruto, to the girls' surprise, invited them both. Naruto stood with the two of them dressed in a ceremonial blue kimono while Yuzu was dressed in a pink kimono and Asuka in a green one. Riku wore a blue one matching Naruto while Ai and Daisuke, being the bride and groom, wore white ones. All those who were not on their current Shinobi assignments, wore ceremonial kimonos as well.

Naruto watched with the others as the ceremony commenced and then the vows had been exchanged. He smiled as he saw how happy Ai was and how radiant she looked. He laughed as he saw how bad Daisuke looked in something formal and that he was constantly fidgeting in his clothes. Soon, after the vows had been done and the person presiding over the ceremony announced the two now being husband and wife, the two gave a deep and meaningful kiss that was responded with an immense applause by the crowd, Naruto and the girls included.

Afterwards, after pictures were taken and food was served out, Naruto, after congratulating Ai and Daisuke, personally; sat amongst Riku, Yuzu, and Asuka.

"That was beautiful, wasn't it Naruto-kun?" Yuzu said as Naruto sat.

"Yeah, it was nice." Naruto said, missing the "look" Yuzu had given him.

Asuka smiled as she closed her eyes. "It's nice to be here, taking a break, before we have to go back to the Academy and be assigned to our teams. Although, I'm actually pretty excited about who my sensei might be."

Naruto took a hasty gulp as he nodded. "I know, I am too. I'm wondering what kind of jutsu they're going to teach us and what kind of missions we'll be going on."

"I hope to be on your team. Naruto-kun." Yuzu said. "It'll be boring if I'm stuck with some talentless rookies." She flashed an evil smile at Asuka.

Asuka looked up, thoughtfully. "Yeah that'd suck. But we won't have to worry about that as long as you're not on _our team, _Yuzu." She flashed Yuzu an equally evil smile.

The two then began to bicker loudly as Naruto, oblivious to the conversation, was dreamily thinkg of the new experiences he would soon have.

* * *

It was a hot afternoon in Kohona, Sarutobi waived his fan against his face as he starred down at the village from the window of his office, reflecting all that had happened over the years: Uzumaki Naruto's disappearance, the Uchia clan's total annihilation from within and only two survivng members remaining, one a missing-nin; and the sudden absence of one the village's legendary Sennin. Sarutobi sighed as he closed his eyes and opened them again. His troubled reflections were interrupted as he heard the door to his office being knocked upon.

"Morning's mail, Hokage-sama." Said his secretary.

"Come in." Sarutobi ushered.

The door opened and the mousey nin acting as his secretary came in and placed a bundle of papers onto his desk, bowed, and then left.

Sarutobi grunted as he sat himself down at his desk, shifting his seat inward as he then took the bundle and looked through the pile. Most consisted of reports of Kohona's shinobi stationed in neighboring villages giving their reports of the governing going on in the countrys and their reflections upon Kohona. Sarutobi placed these to the side to look upon later as he went to the one piece of mail he was most eager to read. Four local newspapers from neighboring countries were the ones he read beofre the usual tedious reports as their news seemed to calm his troubled thinking. He found their local community announcements gave him continuing hope that there were better things than the usual troublesome occurences when it came to living the life as a nin.

Finishing off Sunagakure's and picking up Kusagakure's, Sarutobi packed his pipe with fresh tobacco and lit it as he he scanned the announcements in the community section of the paper. He soon came across photos of those in the village that had recently wedded. As he continued to read, he soon came to the last one which featured a photo of the participants in the event. Sarutobi, unknowingly, let his pipe drop from his mouth as his eyes gazed upon a young individual in the photo posing with two fingers raised, a big grin on his face, standing inbetween two young girls smiling.

* * *

Sitting amongst the class of thirty, Naruto, and the rest of his class, waited patiently as their sensei, Emia, announced the list of groups.

"Team four: Haji Yuuske, Shitaki Kaname, and Mishtal Asuka." Emia said as he read off the paper.

Naruto, who was sitting inbetween Yuzu and Asuka, gave Asuka a smile.

"Hope it all goes well with those two, Asuka."

Asuka, who was looking irritated before; smiled back at Naruto and nodded.

"Yeah, I hope so too."

"Team five: Zaima Akira, Uzumaki Naruto, and Hiwatari Yuzu." Emia announced.

Yuzu jumped to her feet and threw her arms behind her as she exclaimed, "Yes!"

Naruto sweat dropped as he looked nervously at his friend and, now, new teammate. Asuka too looked weirdly at Yuzu.

Naruto looked away from Yuzu to Akira who was sitting in the far back behind them. Akira, whose face and arms were covered in tribal tattoos from his clan, gave a smirk at Naruto, who he noticed was looking at him.

Naruto smirked back and Naruto then turned around as Emia-sensei finished the list and then looked up at the class.

"Well, that about does it. Yoiu're all excused, for now. Your new sensei will contact your group, shortly." With that, Emia sensei turned around and left with his hands in his pockets as aalmost all the class soon followed him out. Asuka bidded Naruto and Yuzu 'goodbye' as she left to hoin with her new teammates outside of the classroom, leaving Naruto, Yuzu, and Akira, who got up and joined them in their row; the only ones in the, now, deserted classroom.

"So, I guess I'm with you guys, it seems." Akira said as he sat down in Asuka's now deserted spot.

"Team five." Naruto said, happily. "I wonder who our sensei'll be?"

Yuzu clung to Naruto's arm. "Who cares. As long as I'm with you, Naruto-kun, our sensei could be dumb, deaf, or blind for all I care."

"What about your other teammate?" Asked a voice.

The three stood looked around wildly for the source of the voice.

"Who was that?" Naruto asked Akira and Yuzu. They shrugged.

"Hey!" The voice repeated. "Are you three really this dense?"

Naruto scowled, "Come out and say that to my face, why don'tcha!"

Naruto then felt something drop onto his head and found it to be a toothpick. "Huh?"

Naruto, Yuzu, and Akira then looked upwards at the ceiling to see a woman, looking to be in her early thirties, standing on the ceiling looking down, or up, at them. Dressed in a black trench coat and wearing a red ribbon tied around her dark brown hair, she haid a hairline scar runing through the side of her mouth. The woman jumped down and nimbly, like a cat, landed on the desk in front of the three.

"So...You're my group, huh?" She said, smirking. "To tell you the truth, based on your apparant lack of observation, I'm far from impressed."

Naruto gulped and looked down, slightly ashamed.

The woman sighed, "Alright, cut it out with those withdrawn faces. Let's start introductions, shall we? I'm Mimori Ryoko, your new sensei. I keep my life a secret so that's all you get from me. Now, your turn." She pointed at Yuzu.

"Uh," Yuzu staggered as she wasn't perparred for introductions. "I-I'm Hiwatari Yuzu. I hope to become a great Kunoichi like my late mother was."

_Huh, so she's not just a girl chasing after boys. That's good_. Ryoko thought. She then looked to Akira and pointed her finger at him. "You."

Akira sighed , scratching the back of his head. "Zaima Akira. Just following the family plan, is all."

"You just plan on following your clan's tradition? Nothing more?" Ryoko asked, eyeing him suspiciously.

Akira shrugged, "Don't know now. Who knows."

Ryoko nodded, "Alright." She then turned to the last boy. "You, blondie, how about you?"

Naruto scowled at the "blondie" bit, but sighed. "Uzumaki Naruto. I hope to become a great Shinobi so I can take care of all of those I care about. So they'll know no fear."

Ryoko raised an eyebrow. "Is that so?"

Naruto nodded.

_This one could prove to be interesting_. She thought. She then addressed all of them. "Well, now that we got that out of the way, all of you plan to meet me at the training grounds tomorrow at 9am sharp. Trust me, you don't want someone like me hunting you down." She smirked as she saw their confused, or in the case of the girl, worried, looks. She then vanished in a twirl of air and mist.

* * *

Sarutobi waited patiently and was rewarded as he heard that expected knock to his office door.

"Come." He said.

Once again, the Hokage's secretary came in, though this time she was accompanied by a man whith natural grey hair, his eye masked by shi-tai; accompanied by two girls and a boy.

The secretary bowed before taking her leave.

the Hokage waited till the door closed before addressing the group in front of him.

"It's good to see you, Hatake Kakashi. Is your new team up to your standards?"

Kakashi bowed before answering. "Yes, Hokage-sama, they are. These young youths did well in my 'bell test'. I know that they'll prove useful to the village in the years to come."

Sarutobi nodded, satisfied by the answer. He looked over the youths recognizing all of them.

The quiet, yet attentive, Uchia Sasuke. Last of his clan, with the exception of his missing-nin brother, Uchia Itachi. the boy was awainging patiently and seemed eager to find out the purpose of their being here. To his right, glancing every once in awhile at Sasuke's direction, Haruno Sakura. the girl had the best score marks in her class and was proclaimed, by her instructors, as a master of chakra control. Standing a little behind the other two, looking nervously at Sarutobi was the Hyuuga heiress Hyuuga Hinata. Sarutobi knew all too well of the hardships that existed in the Hyuuga compound and the type of man young Hinata's father was and the unfortunate standards the Hyuuga placed on all their children, Hinata's being the worst.

Sarutobi looked back at Kakashi and then opened his desk drawer and pulled out the newspaper article and laid it on the desk. He then folded his ahnds together as he talked outloud.

"I have a "C" ranked mission for Team 7. This mission will involve intelligence gathering, for the most part, but there are some slight side details to it, as well."

Kakashi raised an eyebrow while his pupils each responded differently. Sasuke scoffed, silently; Sakura looked intrigued, and Hinata looked to the side, absent-mindedly.

Sarutobi then gave the newspaper article to Kakashi.

Kakashi looked at the paper which entailed a photograph with a large group of people in the picture, apparently at a wedding ceremony. A red circle was around the head of a young boy.

"This is the boy you'll be observing. Uzumaki Naruto." Sarutobi said.

Kakashi's eye widened while his students remained uneffected by the name. Kakashi looked back to the photograph. _So, we found you at last._

"You'll leave today and report back two days from now. I'll be giving your sensei the specifics of the subject and the particulars of this assignment. Now, if you three may, I'd like to speak with your sensei in private." Sarutobi said and was pleased as none of the three inquired as to why they were asked to leave as they filed out of the room and closed the door behind them.

As soon as hearing the door closed, Sarutobi got up from his desk and went to the window. "It's been six years, Kakashi, but we found him."

Kakashi nodded. "I'm surprised you aren't asking us to bring him back. What changed, if you don't mind me asking?"

Sarutobi closed his eyes and sighed. "That decision is still available, depending on what you and your team discover. However, seeing the look on his face in that picture, makes me, regrettably, want to leave him alone where he is." He turned back to Kakashi, his face more serious than before. "However, being the Hokage and the boy's previous caretaker, I'm forced to look into on his situation. Should anything not seem right, I'll have your team remove him immediately."

Kakashi nodded.

"I want you to send a message to me by whatever means you think necessary tomorrow. I'll send a quick reply as to what action you should take next." Sarutobi concluded.

Kakashi bowed, "Yes, Hokage-sama."

Sarutobi nodded and smiled. "I hope he's doing well."

To be continued...

A/N: Sorry for this to be short and to end like this but, it'' pick up off here tomorrow as I'm trying to collect ideas. Just bear with me.

Q-n-P


	4. Grass Nin meets Leaf Nin

Chapter Four: Grass Nin meets Leaf Nin

Kakashi and his group arrived in Kusa no Kuni early the next day. During their trip, the previous day, Kakashi tested his group by asking them how they should plan on trying to find Uzumaki Naruto. Sakura, as expected, was the one who came up with an answer first. She stated that their best course of action would be to check Kusa's Academy as, with most Shinobi villages, most children go to the village's Academy to become Nins; very few decide to act as citizens and go into a trade of some sort. Kakashi and the others agreed on her assessment.

Walking through the village's square, they found the Academy rather quickly, as Hinata was the first one to point it out. it was a one-storied building and spanned out for three blocks. the kanji for Grass rested above the entryway.

"What a puny place." Sasuke said, with an air of disdain.

Kakashi looked to his group, "Kusa has no Kage, they're ruled by their Daimyo and their Clan leaders. Although they are small, it would be wise for us to remember that these people are our allies and, as of right now, we are guests in their country. So, for the time being, keep your opinions to yourself as they might jeopardize our objective."

His pupils nodded in understanding. Kakashi nodded back as they continued on in and soon found themselves in a large waiting area situated with four to five person seated chairs. Two hallways led outward on the left and the right of the room they were in to classrooms and designated sparring match arenas. In the center of the room, a circular desk where a Chuunin was sitting reading a newspaper, was where Kakashi led his group.

The man looked up from his paper as he saw Kakashi coming up to him.

"Yes?" He asked, inquisitively. "What can we do for Kohona Nins?"

Kakashi was surprised by the 'down to business' attitude the man had. He answered quickly.

"We're looking for Uzumaki Naruto. Do you know where we can find him?"

The man smiled as he put away his paper. "Ah, Naruto, eh? Good kid. What do you want him for?"

Kakashi didn't like how slowly this was taking. Still, he kept his cool.

"Kohona business, I'm afraid. Just need to talk to him for awhile, is all." Kakashi answered, half-truthfully.

The man seemed satisfied by the answer. "well, he's not here, sorry to say. Let's see..." He looked up, thoughtfully. "Knowing his Sensei, he's most likely in the training arena in the Giant Bamboo Forest, to the right of the village, with his group."

Kakashi nodded. "Thank you."

the man nodded back. "Tell him that Gaito says, "hey", will ya?"

Kakashi nodded and then turned back to his group and filed out with them.

* * *

The training area for Kusa lay west of the village in the Giant Bamboo Forest. A clearing of fifteen miles made with obstacle courses, hidden traps, preset barrier traps, and many other things to help hone and build Grass Nins to their best.

Naruto, Yuzu, and Akira were standing in front of a large field of dummies made out of bamboo stalks tied to large stumps of wood. the dummies ranged to over the hundreds in the field. Naruto struck on of them, furiously, as he growled in impatience.

"Maybe this is a test of patience?" Akira said, looking at his watch, sighing.

Naruto scowled, "That witch! She told_ us_ to be on time and here she is over an hour late! She should practice what she preaches!"

"Yeah!" Yuzu agreed, wholeheartedly.

Akira looked to the side and sighed once more. "Well, we won't have to wait much longer. I think she's here."

Naruto looked past Akira and, sure enough, he could see Ryoko-sensei slowly making her way upt o them with a cup of steaming coffee in her hand.

As soon as she approached, she stifled a yawn as she greeted, "Good morning class."

Naruto glared as he pointed, "Morning? It's almost noon, you filthy hypocrite! You're late!"

Ryoko walked up to Naruto's side and, with a wry smile, flung the contents of her cup directly into his face.

Naruto bent over in agony as he wiped furiously st his face.

"Ah! H-Hot!"

Ryoko spun around and raised a finger at her group. "Rule number one, kids, never point out the obvious to me. It pisses me off." She spun back around again and made her way to one of the bamboo dummies, turned again, and rested her hand on it's shoulder. "This is what you'll be doing today: each of you will destroy thirty of these dummies, each."

Naruto, Yuzu, and Akira looked wide-eyed at Ryoko in disbelief.

"Thirty?" Akira asked, amazed.

Ryoko smirked, "That's right."

"How long do we get?" asked Yuzu.

"Three minutes." Ryoko said and she again saw the mixture of outrage and astonishment on her pupils' faces. She added, "I'm treating the three of you as if you're already Jonins. You'd better NOT disappoint me."

Naruto gulped as he then looked at one of the dummies and looked over it, remarking to himself, menatally, on it's thickness along with the thickness of the wooden stumps it was attached to and then multiplied THAT by thirty. This was not going to be an easy first day.

* * *

Sakura looked around in marvel at the towering, giant, bamboo stalks that surrounded them as they proceeded on forth to the training area they were told where the boy, Uzumaki Naruto, was with his group training. After five minutes of walking through, they began to hear voices nearby and Kakashi held up his hand to instruct his team to stop. He then indicated up above them and he, along with his group, dashed upwards to the high reaches above and then quietyl made their way to the source of the voices.

* * *

Ryoko waited, at first, for someone to jump up and volunteer to go first, but seeing how that wasn't going to happen as as all of them were still contemplating on how how they were going to accomplish this Jonin-level task; She decided to do it for them.

"Yuzu." She said, loudly.

Yuzu jumped, a little, and replied shakily. "Y-Yes, Ryoko-sensei?"

"You'll go first."

Yuzu slowly nodded and walked up to the row of dummies in front of her and came to a stop five feet from the the first dummy in the row. Yuzu closed her eyes and breathed a couple of times before opening her eyes and got into a crouching position. folding her hands into a complex form, she tilted her head back slightly and closed her eyes once more. She opened them again as she brought her head back forward, abruptly, and then emitted a high-piercing screetch, which sounded like a bird of prey, crying before attacking it's prey.

Naruto, Akira, and Ryoko held their hands to their ears and watched as the entire row of dummies, which consisted of more than fifty, one by one rip fromt he ground and shatter in the air. Then, after Yuzu closed her mouth, the debris fell back to the ground in a hail of pieces.

* * *

Kakashi and his group starred as they removed their hands from their ears.

"W-What was that?" Sasuke asked.

Hinata activated her Byakugan and squinted. "H-Her chakra has a large concentration in the base of her throat. I'm guessing that her chakra collects at her vocal chords and she's able to use great f-force with her voice."

Kakashi nodded, "Very good, Hinata. Yes, there's a rumor of a dying clan that was able to wipe out entire armies just by the use of their voice. i'm guessing this girl's a member of that clan."

Sakura starred at the tall blonde haired girl, who had a strand of brown hair covering her left eye, warryingly.

"What caused their clan to decline?" Asked Hinata.

"Well, as you saw, their attacks can only be made if their opponent, or opponents, are directly in front of them. They're vulnerable on al other sides and they have to use a high concentration of chakra in order to effectively perform their jutsu. Over the last two Shinobi Wars, I'm guessing this clan members' death tolls skyrocketed."

Sakura felt saddened by that fact. She looked over at the two remaining boys in the group. One was covered with tattoos on the sides of his face and the entirety of both his arms. He wore a purple bandana that was tightly secure to his head, accompanied by loose-fitted black jeans and a re turtleneck sweatshirt with the sleeves torn off. the other boy had blonde hair and wore a ornage denim jacket over a black shirt what had the Grass Village's symbol on it. He wore tight orange pants that held several kunai on the side of his right leg. the blonde haired boy gave Yuzu a high-five while the other merely patted her on the back in congratulations.

* * *

Ryoko looked over Yuzu's work and then nodded. "Nice. Your clan's 'Eagle's War-Cry' jutsu, am I right?"

Yuzu nodded, coughing.

Ryoko nodded and turned to Akira. "Akira, your turn."

The boy sighed as he cracked his knuckles and then stepped up to his row of dummies. He loosened the purple bandan on his head, took it off, and then tied it to his arm. He then formed several hand signs. When finished, the tattoos on his face and arms started glowing a violent red color, as was his hair as it was streaming upwards as if a gale of wind were blowing it up.

"Art of the Eternal Grave!" He shouted.

He then slammed both of his fists down to the ground and the color dissipated from his tattos and hair, returning them to their black and brown state. At first, nothing happened and then an opening slowly spread ed out in a "v" shape in the area where Akira slammed his fists down. The opening spreaded outwrd and, soon, all of the dummies disappeared as they fell into the gap. As soon as they were all gone, Akira uncurled his fingers from his palms and the ground closed up, showing no evidence of ever having been opened. Akira stood up, panting slightly, and rubbing his hands.

Ryoko walked over to the ground and examined it with a curious eye.

"How far down did you send them?" She asked.

Akira shrugged, "Several leagues, at least. My elder family members can usually make them appear on the other side of the world. so they claim."

Ryoko smiled, "Alright, very good." she then looked to Naruto. "Blondie, you're up."

Naruto scowled as he walked past his sensei. He closed his eyes and sighed, mike his teammate, as he came up to his row of the dummies.

"You can do it, Naruto-kun!" Yuzu cheered him on, excitingly.

Naruto nodded and got down on one knee and extended his other leg back behind him more, leaning his body forward in a sprinter-like position. While having one hand lie flat on the ground, he held the other vertically in front of his face, which he raised slightly upward.

* * *

Up in the bamboo tops, sasuke smirked.

"So, that's our target, huh?"

Kakashi nodded.

"What's he doing?" Sakura asked.

"It's a Taijutsu stance called "Calm Awakening". It allows all muscles and joints in the body to open up and also opens unused air cells in the lungs."

"Why isn't he using Ninjutsu like the other two? Taijutsu is powerful, but it wouldn't be enough to take out all those dummies in the short thime they're given. You'd drop from exhaustion after the first couple." Sakura pointed out.

"D-Don't be so hasty to judge." Hinata said, her Byakugan still activated. "I-I think he has something in mind."

Kakashi nodded and the four of them watched, attentively.

The boy's, Naruto's, eyes sprung open and he vanished. The only thing they could see was an orange and yellow blur darting in front of many of the dummies at a fantastic speed. Black lines accompanied the other colors as all thre could be seen going through countless number of dummies and soon, in a matter of seconds, he was already back and behind his group; his hands in his pockets. Then, in one instantaneous motion, the dummies, fifty of them, broke, crumbled, or aimlessly fell to the ground. Dust rose as the last one fell.

Sasuke looked wide-eyed at the scene. His Sharingan was active yet it showed him nothing of what the guy had done to hav all those dummies fall. Sasuke looked questioningly at Kakashi-sensei. Sasuke was surprised to see Kakashi sweating as he too had his Sharingan activated and was staring wide-eyed at the spectacle they had witnessed.

However, none of them spoke as the Sensei, Ryoko, addressed Naruto.

* * *

"Not too shaby, Naruto. Good to see you'll noy be a waste of my time and energy." Ryoko smiled as she surveyed the work he had done. "That was Taijutsu, but with something _special_ added, right?"

Naruto nodded, "Yes, Ryoko-sensei."

Ryoko nodded back. "Ai did a great job teaching you chakra control and Daisuke did great teaching you Taijutsu. When we're all done here, I'm going to have to come over to your place and tell them myelf that my team surpasses sny Nin that has come out of Kusa."

Yuzu grinned and Akira smirked, Naruto smiled and the three of them bowed.

"Thank you, Ryoko-sensei!" they said in unison.

Ryoko nodded and then walked past Naruto and spoke loudly. "Rule number two, class, always give credit where it's due. Rule number three,it's rude to hide like squirrels and watch other people work without introducing yourselves!" She glared up into the tops of the bamboo foliage.

* * *

Kakashi sighed as he saw her looking directly in their direction.

_I wonder how long she's known we were here?_ He decided to let it pass as he instructed his team to follow him down. Once they all had landed, Ryoko approached Kakashi.

"I thought Kohona was better at concealing themselves. Are you guys losing your once, infamous, touch?"She asked with a devious smile.

Kakashi rubbed theback of his neck, looked away, and muttered, "...it's been awhile."

Ryoko sighed, "Joking aside, who are you and why is a Sensei and his students, from Kohona, eavesdropping on my training session with my team?"

Kakashi looked past Ryoko at Naruto who had his back turned to them. He then looked back at Ryoko.

"I'm Hatake Kakashi. With me are Uchia Sasuke, Haruno Sakura, and Hyuuga Hinata." The three of them bowed after hearing their names.

Ryoko nodded, "I'm Mimori Ryoko and this is my team: Hiwatari Yuzu, Zaima Akira, and Uzumaki Naruto." Out of her team, only Akira and Yuzu bowed to the people from Kohona.

"Ryoko-sensei, are we done?" Asked Naruto, his back still turned.

Ryoko nodded, "Yeah, we're done. I'll see you three tomorrow back herein the afternoon, probably around two, got it?"

All three of her stundents nodded and Naruto was the first to leave. He jumped and dashed into the Giant Bamboo Forest, not looking back at anyone.

"Naruto-kun, wait up!" Shouted Yuzu as she chased after him.

Akira watched them go and then looked back tyo his sensei and the people from Kohona.

"Later." He waived. He then, at a slow pace, walked into the forest and left.

Kakashi watched them leave and then turned back to Ryoko, who, he noticed, hadn't diverted her gaze as it was still on him.

"To answer your second question, we're here to monitor Uzumaki Naruto and report back our findings to our Hokage." Kakashi said.

Ryoko sighed as she closed her eyes and rubbed the back of her neck before turning it and popping the joints in it.

"So, Kohona has finally decided to come and see him, huh?"

Kakashi looked surprised. "You've been expecting us?"

This time, it was Ryoko's turn to look surprised. "Well, yeah. Six years ago, our Clan leader and the Daimyo sent a messenger to Kohona to tell you that Tokoshiro Ai had taken Naruto without the expressed permission of your Hokage. we haven't heard word from Kohona since."

Kakashi was flabbergasted. His team, however, looked at him in surprise at the news that Naruto was from their village.

"That dobe is from Kohona?" asked Sasuke, who folded his arms. "How come we've never heard of him until now?"

Kakashi didn't answer him as he was still trying to figure out why the Hokage didn't recieve the news about Naruto's being in Kusa.

"Who's the one who sent the message?" He asked Ryoko.

Ryoko thought for a moment before answering. "that'd be Kanida. He's the one ususally sent to send messages between here and Kohona."

Kakashi nodded and tried to memorize the name before asking his next question. However, it was Ryoko who spok next.

"Are you going to be taking Naruto back to Kohona?"

Kakashi went silent. He then sighed as he shrugged, "That's not up to me, at this point. It all depends on what the hokage decides after reading our report on Naruto's well being here in Kusa."

Ryoko let out a sigh of relief. She then looked past Kakashi to his students.

"Have you already found lodgings for you and your pupils?"

Kakashi nodded.

Ryoko walked past Kakashi and then stopped a few feet behind him. She turned her head over her shoulder as she spoke.

"I'm keeping my word and am going over to Naruto's place to tell Ai, and her husband Daisuke, about Naruto's training today. If you want to come, then come."

Kakashi nodded and turned to his team.

"While I'm doing this, you three can have the rest of the afternoon off to either train or explore the village, it's up to you. just stay out of trouble is all I ask."

Sasuke scoffed while Sakura and Hinata nodded in confirmation.

Kakashi nodded back before turning back to Ryoko.

"Lead the way."

She nodded as she then dashed into the forest and Kakashi soon followed.

* * *

Naruto sat waiting outside of the Academy for Riku to be let out of her class as he sighed bitterly, reflecting upon the arrival of the visitors from sighed as he closed his eyes. He knew they would come, eventually. Ai had explained to him years before that she brought him from there in an unconventional manner and that there'd be a possibility that they wopuld come one day and...possibly take him back to Kohona.

Naruto grimaced at the thought and scowled as he dwelled on it. He never wanted to go back to that place.

"Nee-san? Are you alright?"

Naruto opened his eyes as he looked down to see Riku holding her bag and looking up at him, worryingly.

Naruto pushed the dire thoughts aside and bent down and tasseled his little sister's hair. "How was school today, Riku?"

Riku looked to the side and shrugged. She then looked back to Naruto and beamed. "Are you going to take me to Kai's Ramen House and tell me all about your training today!"

Naruto nodded as he took her by the hand and led her off to the local ramen stand, talking all the way.

To be continued...

A/N: I realized I marked this as an Adventure/Romance and have yet to establish a possible pairing for Naruto and the others. While, at first, i was thinking of having this as a Naru/Hina but have since been pondering alternative pairings with the main character. I've decided not to fully commit to an official pairingand am going to explore all area with his relationships with the female cast: Sakura, Hinata, Ino, Kin, the OCs, etc., before coming to a final decision. However, I'd be more than grateful for your input and, if you'd like, you can PM me or just write your response in the review on who you'd like to see Naruto, and/or the others, be paired up with in this story.

A/N II: As always, please review after reading the chapter. Thank you.

Q-n-P 


	5. Insights, Challenges, final decision

Chapter Five: Insights, Challenges, and a Final Decision

Ai and Daisuke were setting up plates when they heard a knocking at their door in the early evening.

Setting down the cutlery, Ai walked to the door. When she opened it, she smiled in surprise to see Mimori Ryoko.

"Ah, Mimori-san. Why're you here this evening? Did everything go alright with Naruto's training?"

Ryoko nodded. "That's what I came to discuss with you about. That and, uh, I have someone here with me who wishes to speak with you about Naruto, as well." Ryoko stepped to the side as a second figure stepped into the doorway. A man with his right eye hidden away by his shi-tai, donning spiky gray hair, and his mouth similarly hidden by a clothed mask.

At first, Ai was going to either inquire Ryoko, or the man, as to who he was, but as she saw the leaf symbol on his shi-tai; it became all too clear.

The man bowed to Ai. "Good evening, Tokoshiro-san, I'm Hatake Kakashi from Kohonagakure. I was hoping to talk with you about your adopted son, Uzumaki Naruto."

"You can't have him."

Both women and Kakashi looked to see Daisuke standing behind Ai, his arms crossed and with a crossed-look on his face.

"Daisuke-" Ai began but was interrupted by Kakashi.

"Sir, that's not why I'm here. i'm here merely to talk to you about Naruto and to ask a few questions as the Hokage has instructed me to. I'm not here to take him away unless the Hokage instructs me to." Kakashi then looked around, cautiously. "Uh, is Naruto here?"

Ai shook her head. "No, he and Riku are usually at the ramen shop at this hour. They won't be back for a little while."

Kakashi nodded, looking slightly more at ease.

Ai then directed Kakashi and Ryoko, wordlessly, to the living room where she cleared away some magazines from the loveseat so he and Ryoko could sit on it. Once seated, Ai and Daisuke sat in two chairs facing the loveseat and its occupants.

"Ai, before Kakashi-san asks his questions, I'd like to tell you, first, on how pleasently surprised I was by how Naruto performed at the training grounds, today. his use of Taijutsu, his chakra control, and the combination in which he used both to execute a Jonin-level task; was impressive." Ryoko said, smiling. "How long did it take you and Daisuke to get Naruto to be at this stage?"

Ai, in turn, smiled as well. "Believe it or not, Naruto did all of that on his own."

Ryoko looked wide-eyed between Ai and Daisuke, the latter smirking.

"You've got to be kidding me, right?" Ryoko asked.

Ai shook her head.

"I've been busy helping out injured scouting parties and Ai's been busy settling farming disputes in the countryside." Said Daisuke. "We've had little or no time to really teach Naruto much of anything. Sure, we've taught him a few things, but that's really only been once in a great while. Lately, if either Ai or myself offer to teach him, he usually turns us down as he's been training constantly with Yuzu and Asuka."

Ai sighed, "He knows how busy we are. I guess he just finds it better to be independent on his training than to have us to take time out of our busy work load to help him."

"Still, I know plenty of Shinobi who've trained themselves and none of them could have even come close to reaching where Naruto is at his age." Ryoko said and then paused and looked down at her knees. "I suppose that _thing_ probably is giving him some sort of help, right?"

Ai and Daisuke nodded, sadly.

Kakashi, who had remained silent during their conversation, raised an eyebrow. "Thing?"

"The Kyuubi locked inside him." Daisuke said in an undertone.

Kakashi's look went grave as he looked at the three in the room.

"You...You all know?"

Ai nodded. "Most of everyone, in town, knows. After I had brought back Naruto with me, one of our village's clan leaders, Hiwatari Shinji; was the fist to learn it from me. He promised secrecy after hearing it, but soon told his wife, who then told the wives of the other clan leaders in the village; very slowly it became public knowledge. The only ones who don't know about it are the younger generation, but it's only a matter of time."

Kakashi looked at Ai, carefully. "And what's been the reaction?"

Ai folded her arms. "It hasn't made the slightest difference in how the village treats Naruto. Sure, a lot of people feel uneasy about it. Many of us remember when the Kyuubi attacked Kohona, some of us were there to fight it and remember the tragedy of losing the Sondaime to it. However, unlike Kohona, we separate Naruto and the Kyuubi when we see him. Naruto is very well liked by the village, Kakashi-san. practically all here would gladdly fight for him as he IS a member of this village."

"He's a member of Kohona as well, Tokoshiro-san." Kakashi said, sighing.

* * *

Naruto and Riku had just finished their thirteenth bowl of ramen before deciding to head back home for dinner. Along the way, they met up with Asuka who had ran an arrand for her mother, carrying three bags of groceries.

"Need a hand?" Naruto asked as he held out one of his hands.

Asuka blushed, a little, as she nodded and gave him one of the bags. the three then continued on the way, Asuka's house being close to Naruto and Riku's apartment building.

"So, how was your first day of training, Asuka-san?" Asked Riku.

Before Asuka could answer, they heard a voice call out from behind them.

"Hey, you."

The three turned and before them, leaning against a building, a boy in shorts with a blue over shirt; smirked at Naruto.

"Asuka, take Riku back, will you?" Naruto said, handing Riku the bag of Asuka's.

"Nii-san, what's this about?" Riku asked, scowling at the boy who was starting to make a slow approach to Naruto.

"Go. I'll be home shortly." Naruto said, turning his head to the side, flashing the two girls a grin.

Asuka sighed and shook her head. "Whatever, come on Riku." She and Riku then left with Riku still looking behind them until they were out of sight.

Naruto, through the conrer of his eye, watched them leave and then turned back to the boy who was now a few feet from him. "What do you want?"

The boy smirked. "I was hoping that you could tell me what it was you used back there at the training grounds."

"Why?" Naruto asked.

The boy walked past Naruto. "Well, it was pretty interesting. While your other teammates used ninjutsus to destroy those dummies, you used Taijutsu and something else. I'm curious, really. You're from Kohona, like I am, and no one there has ever displayed the kind of power you showed."

"Kohona didn't teach or give me anything." Naruto said, icily.

The boy turned and raised an eyebrow. "Then how?"

Naruto sighed and folded his arms. "Why should I tell you anything?"

The boy closed his eyes and then opened them and looked at Naruto in 'dead-serious' expression. "I wish to become powerful. My whole family was annihilated by a member of my own family. My brother, my sworn enemy, and the man I will kill one day. I, Uchia Sasuke, have devoted all my life and years to prepare my self for that particular moment. Once done, I'll restore my clan to its once infamous glory." Sasuke folded his arms, "I will learn all that i can to achieve that goal. Now, will you tell me or not what you used in order to do what you did?"

Naruto sighed and said flatly. "No."

Sasuke closed his eyes, breathed in sharply, and then nodded. "Alright. Will you fight me, then?"

Naruto sighed in exasperation. "Why?"

Sasuke smirked, "To see who's better, of course."

Naruto shook his head. "There'd be no point. I'd mop the floor, with you. Then I'd get in trouble in the village for fighting another Nin from a different village. So, forget it."

Sasuke scowled. "Afraid, are you?"

Naruto, refusing to be goaded, simply walked past Sasuke and continued on until he heard a difference in the air. He then spun around and caught the kunai blade that was just a few inches from striking at his face. In the same quick-like motion, he threw it back at it's owner.

Sasuke lunged to the ground as he was nearly peirced by his own weapon. He glared at Naruto.

"Why won't you fight me!"

Naruto looked down at him. "I don't see how I'll gain anything by it. Besides, I'm not going to tire myself out just so you can feel good about yourself." Naruto turned and began to walk away but then stopped and said over his shoulder. "You know, half of this village is made up of survivors. Many of them had lost most or all of their clan. Some had lost theirs due to betrayl or murder within." He said one last thing as he walked away. "You...are nothing special, Uchia Sasuke." Naruto could hear the furiously loud shouting behind him but continued on his way back to his place. He was in a foul mood before but this time he felt slightly better after putting that jerk into his place. thinking happily as he continued on toward home, he paused as he heard some grunting coming from one of the old training yards to the far right.

Before the area in the Giant Bamboo Forest had been made, a smaller area inside the vilage itself was used for training. this area mainly consisted of stumps used from hitting exercises and there were smaller obstacle courses in the area.

Naruto, as he approached, recognized one of the two girls who came with Sasuke there. She had dark hair like Asuka's but hers was longer and her eyes had an interesting violet hue to them. the girl was striking one of the logs in a clumsy fashion as her knuckles began to bleed, slightly.

Naruto, leaning up agaisnt the side of the building, sighed. "You're doing it wrong, you know."

The girl turned to look at him in surprise and, in the process, lost her balance and began to topple over.

Naruto leapt from the area he was at and caught her before she hit the ground.

"Whoa! Easy." He said, chuckling a little as he brought her back up. "There."

The girl, whose eyes were now in mid panic, looked down to the ground as she stuttered.

"T-T-Thank Y-You, Naruto-san."

Naruto's eyes widened, a little. "You remembered my name?"

the girl nodded, looking away.

Naruto smiled, "Forgive me, but I don't remember yours."

The girl gulped. "I-It's Hyuuga. H-Hyuuga H-Hinata." sweat began to trickle at the top areas of her head.

Naruto nodded, continuing to smile. "Alright, Hinata. Would it be alright if I helped you with your training?"

She looked at him in a mixture of confusement and timidness. "W-Why?"

Naruto sighed, "Well, unlike your teammate, Sasuke, you're training for better reasons, am I right?"

Hinata looked away and nodded, slowly. "I-I want m-my father to be p-proud of me."

Naruto nodded. "Ok then. Let's first start off with your stance. You seem to be a little mispositioned when you make your attacks. You need to throw your whole body into each punch. So-" Naruto then walked behind Hinata and placed his hand on her hip, he rested the other on her shoulder as he instructed. "When you turn your body you need the rest to follow."

Hinata's face was scarlet red and she was beginning to feel dizzy.

"When you make punches," Naruto said as he rested his chin on her shoulder and extended his arm out as he took her wrist in his hand, bringing her arm back as he demonstrated. "You need to work with full force, like this." he then forced her arm at a powerful speed which made contact with the wooden stump resulting in a deep impact into the wood.

Hinata didn't feel anything as her mind was spinning. She had felt dizzy when Naruto had placed his hand on her hip, but now she felt as if she was going in and out of consciousness when she suddenly had felt the warthness of his cheek upon her own. She didn't know how much of this she could take before passing out.

"Hinata?"

Both her and Naruto turned to see the pink-haired member of the Kohona's group.

"Y-Yes, Sakura-san?" Hinata blinked several times, her face still red as a strawberry.

Sakura had a smile on her face. "Kakashi-sensei says he needs all of us to meet at the lodge room."

Hinata gulped and nodded. she felt Naruto slipping away from her and she turned to him.

"T-Thank Y-You for your help, N-Naruto-san." she bowed.

Naruto grinned as he rubbed the back of his neck. "I hope it helps you later on. Well see ya." He then waived to them both and left amongst the rooftops.

* * *

Watching the retreating form of the blonde, Sakura elbowed Hinata, playfully, at the side. "I did I come at a bad time?"

Hinata looked away, "I-It's not like that. N-Naruto-san was h-helping me, is all."

"Sure, whatever you say." Sakura said, sarcasitcally as the two of them began to walk back to the lodge.

Whilst Hinata repeatidly tried to deny what Sakura was implying, Yuzu, close by, glared daggers at Hinata from afar.

* * *

Naruto arrived back home shortly, when he did he found all of his family waiting for him. Apparently, Riku had told them of their run in from one of the members from Kohona as both Ai and Daisuke seemed to have a waiting look on their faces.

"What happened?" Asked Ai as Naruto hung up his jacket.

Naruto shrugged, "Nothing, really. The jerk just wanted to compare our fighting abilities." The look on Ai's face didn't change so Naruto added quickly, "I didn't, of course."

She let out a sigh and sat back into her chair and rubbed her temples with her hands. "I'm glad you didn't, Naruto. If you did, it might have give the Hokage an excuse to take you back."

"I'm NOT going back to Kohona." Naruto said with a scowl on his face.

Ai sighed, "I know. We don't want you to go, either. Hopefully we won't have to go meet with the Hokage to change his mind if he tells Kakashi to bring you back."

Speaking no more on the subject, the family sat down and began to eat.

* * *

Early the next day, Kakashi was shaving when, Pakkun, his Nin-dog, arrived with the response from the Hokage.

Earlier, last night, Kakashi had sent his report to the Hokage, along with his interview with the man, Kanida, who had brought the message to Kohona six years ago that Naruto was in Kusa no Kuni, and that the message itself was recieved by an ANBU member. Kakashi knew that the Hokage would look into the matter personally and so, was awaiting the information as to what to do with the boy now.

Kakashi set down his blade as he took the sealed note from the Nin-dog's mouth.

"If you don't need me for anything else, I'll head back now." Pakkun said.

Kakashi nodded. "Thanks."

the dog nodded before disappearing in a puff of smoke.

Kakashi opened the parchment which was written in code, in case it fell in the worng hands. However, what it said had very little meaning to anyone either than the person it was intended for. What it said was:

"Let him be."

To be continued...

A/N: This is shorter than I had planned but, it'll have to do for now as it is late and I'm tired. The next chapter will be ready in a couple of days, so hold on until then.

A/N II: As always, please review after reading. Thank you.

Q-n-P


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